I Think I'm Falling For You
by DarkShadow99
Summary: Max lived a normal life for the first sixteen years of her life. Then he came along and turned her life upside down, showing her what it was like to be able to trust someone that wasn't your annoying sister or over-protective mother, to find out the true meaning of love and happiness. No wings, just a regular old Fax fanfic.
1. Meeting Him

**Author's Note: So basically this is my first fanfiction….just to warn you, this may suck (So bad that you'd probably need to clean your eyes with acid, burn them and….yeah) Ideas on how to improve my writing and what to do next would be gladly appreciated :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, the story belongs to Mr. James Patterson himself…though I wish I did….especially Fang. Sigh.**

* * *

"Max…..Max…..Maxine….Maximum…Maxie….MAX WAKE THE HELL UP!" For a moment, that annoying voice had disappeared, and I finally had peace to sleep and dream about bacon….mmm delicious bacon…

SPLASH! A bucket of freezing water was dumped onto me, instantly waking me up, and boy, was I pissed. "Oi?! What the Hell was that for?!" I snarled, my eyes instantly zoning in on my sister, Ella, who was standing over me, a blue bucket dangling from her manicured hands.

My sister's eyes widened as she stared at the furious expression on my face, slowly beginning to back away towards the door, stuttering, "Well…y-you s-s-see we have s-school today, and I-I was g-gonna….pick…out some clothes for you to wear, so I thought….y-you know, I-I'll just…RUN!" She whirled around and dashed through the door as I sprang from my bed, running after her.

"Get back here! I swear, when I catch you –

"Max?" I skidded to a stop, blinking in surprise when I realized it was Mom. How did I not see her…oh, maybe it was because I wanted to wrap my hands around my sister's throat and….herm, sorry. "Mom? Oh, hi. Mornin'."

My mom raised an eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips. "What's going on?" She gave me the Don't-you-dare-lie-to-me-because-I-know-everything look.

"Ella splashed ice cold water on me!"

"That was because you wouldn't wake up!" Ella retorted, poking her head around the corner.

"Whose fault was that?! You were the one who kept me up all night with Justin Beiber blasting in your room!"

"Well it helps me sleep!"

"Helps you sleep? You mean, that Beiver that sings like a dead cat that had just gotten run over by a car?! How can that help you sleep?"

Ella's big brown eyes narrowed at me. She opened her mouth to snap back, but one look from Mom, and she was silent. "Both of you shut it! Now, go get ready before you're late for your first day of school."

Damn, why did we have to go to school? "Urgh, alright, fine." I turned around and stalked back to my room, slamming the door behind me. Now, all I had to do was throw on a pair of jeans, a shirt, my converse, and then…. "ELLA! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CLOTHES?!"

I could hear my sister laughing in the other room. That little….Urgh! "I replaced your old clothes with once that fit in with this century, Max. That's all. Now get dressed!"

Why did this have to happen to me? Why couldn't someone somewhere else in this world have this pawn of satin? Grumbling, I went through my closet, grimacing when I found a shirt that could have been considered a bikini top. Rifling through, I finally just grabbed a red plaid shirt, black skinny jeans, red converse, and threw them on, quickly running a brush through my dirty blonde hair before heading out, grabbing a piece of toast from a plate that my Mom had set on the counter and shoveled it into my mouth. "Ella, let's go! You have thirty seconds to get your butt downstairs before I –

"What was that, Max?" She asked innocently from behind me.

I jumped at least a foot in the air and turned on her, putting a hand on my heart. "God, you scared me half to death. I was going to say I'd leave you, but since you're already here….I guess I won't have to. Bye Mom." I mumbled, waving at her before heading out with Ella stumbling after me in her high heels.

* * *

After about a half an hour of walking, we finally arrived at the high school. Ella waved at a group of her friends and smiled before parting with me and went over to them, the group instantly beginning to chat about who knows what.

As I made my way to homeroom, an arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me into a lean side. "Maxie! Long time no see!"

"Hey Iggy, what's up?" I laughed, looking up into his light blue eyes, noting how tall he had gotten over the summer. It hadn't been to long ago that he had been as tall as I had been, but then again, the kid was like a weed. He had to be at least 6'2" now.

He ran a hand through his strawberry blonde hair again and sighed dramatically. Oh boy, the king of drama was going to make his speech. "Well you see, my dear Max, the sky is up, if you hadn't known already. I mean, you must be stupid to not know what is above us."

I raised an eyebrow and poked him in the side. "Look who's talking. At least I didn't put leftovers that were covered in tin foil then put it into the microwave."

Iggy made an exasperated noise and turned on me, folding his arms over his chest. "That was an accident! I was still half asleep and I wanted left over pizza from the night before! It's not my fault that I wasn't thinking straight!"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, rubbing my forehead. "Whatever. Anyways, what's your homeroom?"

Iggy pulled out his schedule, peered at it for a moment, then said, "Mrs. Williams it looks like. What about you, Max?"

I looked at my own schedule. "Um…Mrs. Williams, too."

Iggy grinned and steered me towards the class, just as the five minute bell rang. "Come on, let's go."

Cue sigh. "Ig, we're already there. The class is right in front of you."

For a moment, Iggy was silent as he frowned at the door in front of us, and then he gestured for me to enter, opening the door for me. "After you, my Queen."

I glared at him, mumbling, "Sexist pig," before walking in, taking a seat next to the window while Iggy sat behind me.

"Alright, now that everyone's here, I'm going to take roll call." Mrs. Williams announced, beginning to read from her list. "Christian Alvarez…Tyler Brooks…"

I pretty much zoned out as she continued to call out names, tapping my pencil on the desk while taking an interest in the world outside. Did you know that Arizona is pretty this time of year? Yeah, nothing but dirt, sand, dirt, and oh look, more sand, with the occasional sprinkle of trees here and there. **(A/N: I grew up in Arizona, so I know what it's like :D) **

"Nicholas Martinez?" Silence. "Absent. Maxine Ride?"

Time seemed to slow down as she waited for me to answer. Breath, Max. In, Out. In, out. In…out. Through, clenched teeth, I said, "It's Max."

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Williams turned her piercing gray eyes on me which seemed to see right into my soul. Man, that woman had creepy eyes.

"I said, my name is Max." I narrowed my eyes, daring her to say something. The room was silent as my classmates looked between the two of us like they were watching a tennis match before…BANG!

The door flew open and a guy stumbled through, gasping for air. He was dressed in all black, and I mean, all black, including his eyes which flicked around the room, as if he were noting who all was in here. "Sorry I'm late. I kind of got lost…" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, and his dark, smoldering gaze fell on me. For a moment, I could see they were filled with mild curiosity before he turned back to our grumpy teacher.

"I'll excuse you since you are new here, Mr. Martinez, but next time you're late, you'll be staying after. Take a seat next to Ms. Ride. Maxine, raise your hand!"

I swear, the next time she calls me that, I'm going to strangle her and then dump her body in a ditch. I raised my hand and waved, watching him as he walked over and took a seat next to me.

As Mrs. Williams droned on about the classroom rules and expectations, I decided to look over at Nicholas who looked as bored as I was, with his chin in his hand as he doodled on a piece of paper. He was quite…good looking I suppose. I could imagine all the girls in the school would be drooling over him. Speaking of said girls… "Hey, Nicholas!" A nasally voice whispered from behind us.

I glanced over and rolled my eyes when I realized it was Lissa. Said girl smiled sweetly and waved at Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent who nodded silently at her. "I was wondering if you'd like to hang out with my friends and I at lunch today…we would totally love if you did."

I saw him wince, and, being the hero that I am, I swooped in and saved his sorry butt. "Honey, I don't think he'd enjoy hanging out with you and your band of sluts drooling on his arm. I already volunteered to show him around and eat lunch with us."

Nick raised an eyebrow, but I could see the relief in his eyes. Lissa huffed and glared at me, but she only managed to pull off the look of a constipated cow. "Ugh, whatever."

* * *

After class, I gathered up my things, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and turned to Nick and Iggy. "So…guys what do you have next?"

Iggy shrugged. "I have Biology next. What about you guys?"

"English with Mr. Thayer." Nick said, giving me a questioning look. A man of many words I see. Note the sarcasm.

"Me too. Nicholas, care to let me assist you to class?" I asked, putting a hand on my hip.

"It's Fang, and why don't we walk _together _without having you assist me."

Iggy and I stared at him. "…Did you just say Fang?" We were met by silence, and then the two of us burst into hysterical laughter. "Isn't that the name of a dog?"

I laughed even harder. "He must be a vampire…Quick, I'll grab the holy water!" I took out my water bottle from my backpack and held it up to the sky. "God, bless this water! Pure this demon of darkness!" I unscrewed the cap and proceeded to splash Fang with water.

I swear, the air seemed colder as he turned on me, his eyes blazing. "Oh, it's on, Ride." And then he snatched up my water bottle and dumped it over my head.

Iggy immediately stopped laughing and began to back away. "Um…I'm going to get to class. Fang, I suggest you run before she murders you." He took off in the opposite direction just as I lunged at Fang, my hair plastered to my head. "You are so dead!"

He dodged the attack and ran down the hall, ignoring the bewildered looks from the students, me right on his heels. After a few minutes, he slipped into a room and disappeared. I growled and flung open the door, only to be met by Mr. Thayer who stood by his desk, arms folded and his eyes narrowed, taking in my drenched appearance. "And what is with the loud ruckus, Ms. Ride?"

"Nothing, sir. Just trying to get to class on time." As if God had answered my prayer, the bell rang, signaling the start of class.

"Very well. Take a seat then."

I sighed with relief and headed over to an empty desk that just so happened to be right in front of Martinez himself. Glaring daggers at him, I threw myself into my chair, leaning back so I could quietly whisper, "You better pray to God that you won't end up in the hospital, but don't be surprised if you end up in a hospital bed on life support." And, yet again, I zoned out as Mr. Thayer droned on. Man, I couldn't wait until lunch.

* * *

When the bell rang signaling the start of lunch, I headed straight for the lunch area and slid into the seat between Iggy and Fang while Ella, her friend Nudge, and Gazzy (don't ask; it's a long story) sat on the opposite side of the table.

"So guys, this is Fang. Fang, meet Ella, Nudge, and Gazzy." The three greeted him and began to pelt him with questions. Poor, poor him. Trying to be the silent one was going to be tough, especially when he had to answer all of their questions.

"Where are you from?"

"Virginia."

"Really? Why did you move out here to Arizona?"

"Nice weather." Iggy and I snorted at this one. Nice weather. Riiiiiight.

"How was your old school?"

"Boring."

"How do you like it here?"

"S' cool."

Jeeze, the kid really was not a big talker. I stand corrected; he really did pull of answering all those questions with only a few words. "Alright, stop harassing the poor kid. Save the questions for later so he can actually eat."

The three sighed and went back to eating, but Nudge poked at her food. "Is this edible? I'm pretty sure the Jell-o moved. Eew that would be so gross. I mean, what do they put in their food? Are they trying to kill us?! Omg, I'm too young to die. There are so many things I want to do, places that I want to see, like Paris. Ooh, I hear Paris is lovely this time of year! I mean mph –

Gazzy, thankfully, clapped a hand over dear Nudge's mouth and shut her up. "Nudge, relax. Calm down."

Iggy sighed with relief and dramatically wiped his forehead. "Phew, for a moment I thought I would bleed out, I mean, my ears were bleeding."

We all laughed, but I stopped sniffing the air. "W…what's that…smell. Oh god, Gazzy!" I choked, coughing and covering my nose with my shirt. "That was horrible!"

Iggy clawed at his throat. "I need a gas mask!"

All of us covered our noses, but we were all laughing hysterically. I'm pretty sure the rest of the people around us deemed us insane and probably wanted to admit us into a mental hospital, but who cared? I mean, I sure didn't.

I smiled and gazed around at my friends until my eyes fell on Fang. He was still his silent self, but I could see the faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and the amusement in his eyes. Almost as if he knew that I was watching him, he turned to me and smirked. "See something you like, Maxie?"

I blushed but hid it with a scowl. "Unfortunately, no, Fangy-poo. All I see is a bunch of crap. Oh and don't think I haven't forgotten about earlier. I really will destroy you." I grinned cheekily as his eyes narrowed but I could tell he was laughing. On the inside. Psh, why couldn't he just laugh outright? Oh, that's right; he's pulling the whole, macho and silent thingy ma jig. Sigh. This was going to be a long year.


	2. Dinner? With Who!

**Author's Note: So here is the second chapter! Thanks to the people who have taken their time out of their day to read this lovely story, review; follow it, etc., etc. So I have a question for you guys…should Iggy like Nudge or Ella?**

**Disclaimah: I unfortunately do not own Maximum Ride, it all belongs to J.P.**

Mom, Ella, and I lived on the outskirts of town, about an hour's walk to and from school. It was an older house, surrounded by the same style of homes which suited my parents' taste. My dad had bought the place when Mom was pregnant with me and for once, after Ella was born, things were perfect and peaceful. Then, Jeb was diagnosed with cancer and our world was turned upside down….

**_Sophomore Year:_**

_"Mom, Dad, we're home!" I shouted, dropping my backpack onto Dad's rocking chair and made room for Ella as she walked in through the door, shaking the rain from her hair._

_The house was silent for a few minutes before we heard Mom call us from the kitchen, her voice thick with emotion. "In here, you guys."_

_Ella and I exchanged a concerned look. Why was Mom crying? Did she get into a fight with Dad again? Deciding it was best to see what was going on, we headed to the kitchen._

_Mom was sitting at the dining room table, her head resting in her arms and her body trembling. Across from her, Dad's blue eyes were red and swollen from crying, but he managed a weak smile. "Hey girls, how was school?"_

_Mom sighed and looked up at him, tears streaming down her face as she bit her red lip, not bothering to look at us with a fear of setting herself off. "Just tell them, Jeb. Don't keep them waiting; you know how much they hate it…"_

_Dad took a deep breath and finally looked at us each in turn, twiddling his thumbs. "I…I have cancer." He whispered, wincing as Mom burst into tears and dropped her head back into her arms._

_I honestly didn't know what to say. My throat refused to work and my vision blurred, my world tilting beneath my feet until my legs moved and I was running, running from the house and down the street, ignoring a car that honked its horn at me. I ran until I reached the park where I proceeded to my favorite tree and collapsed on the ground, my body numb. A__ll I could think about was my father, about how he'll survive the fight with cancer, but if he didn't how we would be able to move on without him there. I choked and let out a sob, finally letting the tears run down my face. What was I going to do?_

Not too long after his diagnosis, he had gotten sick and, due to the cancer, he couldn't fight off the infection. Within a few weeks, he passed away, leaving Mom in shambles and Ella and I stricken with grief. For a while after, no one spoke of his death, nor mentioned anything that had to do with him. Though I knew Mom was torn apart, she continued to care for my sister and I, knowing that was probably what He would have wanted. She became a lot quieter and rarely cooked for us like she used to and, to this day, she still never cooks; only for special occasions. You can only imagine my surprise when I came home after school to find the house smelling like food and cookies. Wait….cookies?

"COOKIES!" I screamed, shoving Ella aside who yelped in surprise when she hit the couch and ran towards the kitchen where that delicious smell was coming from. I followed my nose and spotted the cookies before lunging towards the delectable treats, snatching one from the plate and shoving it into my mouth….

_SMACK! _"Max! Don't touch the cookies; those are for our guests tonight!" Mom scolded, putting her hands on her hips, Her long brown hair was pulled back in a loose bun, but a few strands that weren't long enough to be held back framed her face. Her smiling face was covered in flour along with her apron which had turned the red fabric white.

"But Moooooom, you know how much I love cookies!" I whined, holding my aching hand which still stung from the smack I had taken from her wooden spoon.

"No buts. Now, I want you two to get ready. Please?"

"Ngh, fine, but you owe me!" I grumbled to myself, shaking my head as I made my way out of the kitchen..."Wait...guests?" I turned around and walked back in, folding my arms over my chest as I did so. "What _guests_ are you talking about?"

Mom didn't bother to look back at me as she continued to stir something in her pot. "You didn't hear about the family who moved into the Jameson's house across the street? They're coming over for dinner tonight."

I frowned. The Jameson house was about as big as ours, maybe a bit bigger, with a _huge _pool that my family and I went to swim in. I was friends with their daughter until they moved about six months ago. "Do they have kids?" I asked, now curious. Curiosity killed the cat...just saying.

"Yeah, two. Their son is about your age and they said he goes to the same school as you, Ella, and everyone else...they also have a daughter around seven."

"Have I met the son before?"

My mom shrugged and finally turned around, leaning up against the bar. "Maybe, maybe not." I raised an eyebrow but nodded, not bothering to question who the family was, figuring that I'd find out tonight. I ran up the stairs, Ella trailing behind me. I knew she wanted something from me by the way she followed me up the stairs, intruding on my privacy. I mean seriously, the girl was going to turn into some kind of stalker just so she could get what she wanted. If that isn't creepy, then Edward Cullen wasn't some 107 year old pedophile who watched girls sleep.

"…I get to help you get ready." See? Damn it, why did this girl have to be so into fashion, makeup, and all those other girly tortures?! It was one thing to dress a little more…girly, but putting on fancy clothes _and _wearing makeup, there was no way in HELL I was going to let Ella help me get ready.

"_Hell_ no! I'm not letting you touch one hair on my head, you got that?! I'd rather die than let you get anywhere near me!"

An evil grin spread across my sister's face and her chocolate-brown eyes seemed to darken. Oh dear God in Heaven, please save my tormented soul. "If that's what it takes, then so be it." She slowly began to advance towards me with full intentions on tying me down to give me a makeover, that malicious look sending shivers down my spine. Sometimes, she reminded me of my Mom when it came down to trying to force me to do something they wanted that _I_ didn't want.

I quickly backed away, trying to put as much distance as I could away from my sister, but when she pounced, I took of running, rapidly running to my room which somehow seemed a lot farther than it actually was. "ELLA LEAVE ME ALONE!" I shouted, darting to my room and slamming my door shut...until Ella rammed her shoulder into it, keeping it open a crack.

"NEVER! I...WILL...PREVAIL! NOW OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR OR I'LL DYE ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES PINK!" I froze, my eyes going wide. "You wouldn't dare!"

Never, ever, _EVER _doubt Ella Freakin' Ride, she is the devil in disguise. By the devilish smile in her voice, I knew immediately she wasn't joking. "Oh I would, now open the flippin' door or I'll seriously do it. I hear mom has pink dye in the garage..."

"Oh FINE!" I opened the door and she skipped in, looking _way _too innocent. "Alright, let's get crackin'."

After literally an hour of picking through my closet while I lay on my bed messing on my laptop, she came up with a nice pair of dark jeans, my black converse, and a Minnie Mouse tank top, and as she started on my hair, I drew the line. "Okay, _enough_! I already let you pick out my clothes, but I will _not _let you touch my hair. It's fine like this now begone!" I glared at her as she shook her head in defeat and threw my hair up into a messy ponytail, watching as she stomped out of my room. I sighed with relief and lay back on my bed, taking an interest in the ceiling above me.

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Mom opened the door, the sound of voices drifting up to my room. Curious, I got up and ran down the stairs to meet our neighbors, and when I saw who it was...I gasped. It was Fang's family.


	3. Sweet, Sweet Revenge

**Author's Note: Sorry about that short chapter, I had no idea what to write there, but hopefully within the next couple of chapters, I'll have more details. And thank you guys for reviewing, following,etc.I really appreciate it!. i never thought this story would kick off like that...and again, sorry for the long awaited update; with school and everything, it's really hard to get on.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

I gaped at Fang who stood there awkwardly in the doorway, his mother and father standing on either side of him and his sister -I assumed- clutching onto his sleeve. "F-Fang?!" I sputtered, watching as he blinked in suprise before he became emotionless once more. "Sup'."

I rolled my eyes at his answer and gestured for the Martinez family to come on in. "Please, make yourself at home."

"Oh how sweet of you. You must be Max!" Fang's mom smiled and gave me a hug which I returned, surprised. She looked a little different than Fang did, with dark brown hair dashed with a hint of grey, kind blue eyes, but she had that same smile that Fang did, her teeth perfectly straight and white. She looked more like Fang's sister though, the same sky blue eyes and the sweet, heart shaped face. I loved her immediately.

Fang was a perfect twin to his father though. Both were tall, with a bit of muscle on their lean forms, the dark, cold look, but like Fang's mother, his father grinned and shook my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Max. We've heard so much about you."

I raised an eyebrow at Fang who snorted softly and I smirked, loving the way his eyes narrowed to glare at me. "Oh really? I didn't know that I was this popular around here." The two adults laughed and proceeded to the kitchen to probably talk to my mom while I knelt down in front of his cute little sister. Her eyes widened a little and she hid herself even more behind Fang, the only thing left peeping out at me were her eyes. "Hi sweetie." I said softly, giving her a small smile. "I'm Max, Fang's friend. It's so nice to meet you. What's your name?"

She blinked at me as she edged a little closer, Fang gently coaxing her out from behind him. She tucked some of her blonde curls behind her ear and nervously bit her lip. Have I ever told you how _adorable _this little girl was? "Hi Max, I'm Angel. I'm seven." She whispered, holding up six fingers, then shaking her head and holding up seven. After looking me up and down, she hesitantly gave me a hug. I laughed and picked her up, squeezing her tightly while tickling her sides. She squealed and giggled hysterically, her delicate face lighting up. "AAAH! LEMME GO, MAXIE!"

Now normally I would have destroyed the person who called me Maxie, but it was Angel, and I just couldn't stand to make her cry, so I let it go, smugly looking at Fang who stood there, watching us with eyes wide. When he caught me looking, he scowled and plucked Angel from my arms, slinging her over his shoulder while she laughed and screamed, beating his back. "Put me down Fang! Max, help me!"

I smacked Fang's shoulder and tried to pull Angel from his arms, but man, that boy was strong. He simply pushed me out of the way and continued on walking like I was nothing but a simple fly. Oh-ho was I going to murder that jerk. "Oh Faaaaang," I sang, grinning evilly at him. I saw panic flit across his dark irises as he quickly set his little sister down and backed away from me. "I never got to avenge my humilation from earlier today..."

Angel giggled and for a moment, she seemed to know what I was thinking. Strange little girl, but nonethless, she ran at him and Fang took off, bolting through the kitchen and into the backyard. I laughed at his stupidity and chased after him, Angel disappearing from my side. Determined to have my revenge, I continued on. Fang was stupid enough to think that the backyard was big enough to hide in, and I knew that I would catch him in no time.

As I ran outside, I stopped, looking around in confusion. Where the hell did he go? I swore that I had just seen him, but he had disappeared in the blink of an eye. All of a sudden, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and I jumped and whirled around, coming face to face with Fang's chest. "AH! Will you stop that?!"

Fang smirked, looking smug. "Quit what, breathing?" He made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle and walked calmly into the house while a burned holes in the back of his shirt with my eyes. If only, if only. For that, I was going to make sure. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

I followed him through the sliding glass door, just as Angel peered around the corner, grinning evilly while waving a roll of duck tape. I smiled and looked over at Fang as he sat down on a chair, turning on the tv. I nodded at him and walked over. "Hey, Fang, watcha watchin'?"

He shrugs and gestures to the tv which was on Spongebob. Oh jeeze, we we're going to need to have a talk about watching little kids shows...wait, what does that make me, then?

I coughed to cover my laughter and wrapped my arm around his neck, smirking at the startled look on his face. "Can I join?"

As he thought about what to say, a blur of blonde hair shot from the hallway and sprang on him, quickly wrapping him up in duck tape while I held him down. He thrashed and let out a strangled shout, but both of us had the element of surprise and we easily over powered him. Angel disappeared up the stairs and came back down with Ella's make up bag, her smile completely terrifying.

Fang's expression was completely priceless. He fought even harder to get out of the duck tape while Angel handed me some lipstick. Grinning, I knelt down in front of him and waved it teasingly in front of his face, chuckling. "Time for a makeover, Fangy-poo. Angel?" The seven year old grabbed his head and held it in place while I spread the makeup all around his mouth and the rest of his face. Let's just say that after we were done for him, he looked like a clown-gone-wrong.

I grabbed my camera and quickly snapped a picture, sticking my tongue out and winking. "Perfect blackmail. Bye bye, Fang." I walked away, still holding the camera as Angel let him go and watched as he took off towards the bathroom. I headed into the kitchen where the adults and Ella were sitting at the table talking. I grabbed a glass and poured some soda into it before taking my place at the table, staring into my glass and trying not to laugh as Fang took the seat next to me.

Mom got up to set the food on the table just as Fang leaned over. "I will have my revenge, Ride." I waved the camera at him and raised an eyebrow. "Blackmail..." I sang, putting some steak and mash potatoes on my plate. Fang did the same, growling softly under his breath.

Just as I was finishing up my food, I realized that everyone was staring at me and I looked up, confused. "Uhm...what's wrong?" Fang snorted and shook his head while my mom looked away in disgust. "Where are your manners, Max?"

"Pig." Fang coughed into his fist, and, me who does not take being called names, smacked him upside the head. "Shut up!"

"Maximum Ride!" I cringed at my full name as Mom's hands slammed into the table and she stood up, glaring at me fiercely. "We have _guests _and this is how you behave?! Pull yourself together!"

"Yes, ma'am." I mumbled, avoiding her piercing eyes and picking at the small leftover pieces of food on my plate. Ella covered her giggle with a cough and I glowered at her. She sank back in her chair, withering underneath my menacing gaze.

After dinner, the Martinez' said their goodbyes and headed out, but Fang stayed behind, leaning against the doorframe. "Seriously, Ride, I'm going to get you back, just you wait."

I smiled and punched his shoulder. "Whatever floats your boat. I'll see you tomorrow. Night, Fang."

The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly before disappearing, and I knew that that was as close to a smile I was going to get. "Night, Max." Fang practically melted into the night, his dark clothes blending in with the shadows.

As I headed up to my room, my mind whirled. Should I be concerned about Fang's idea of 'payback'? Why was it so easy to talk to him even though I met him a couple hours before? Maybe this was the start of a close friendship? I went to bed that night with a smile on my face, looking forward to the next day.


	4. My Best Friend, Hanging Out With Who!

**Author's Note:...nothing really to say here...except that I am really sorry for not updating sooner. I've had a bad case of writer's block and couldn't think of what to do. That and the end of the school year is coming up really fast and life's been busy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

The next day started off like a kick to the ass. When I woke up and looked over at my clock, I realized that it read 7:35 and school started at 8. Of all things holy, I slept through my alarm clock which put me _way _behind. I swore as I jumped out of bed and threw my clothes on, running my brush through my hair quickly before grabbing my backpack and running out the door, sprinting down the sidewalk.

As I ran, a small black truck rolled to a stop beside me, its tinted windows rolling down to reveal Fang's shaggy head. "You need a ride, Ride?" He smirked at the double use of my name as I slowed down to a walk. I rolled my eyes at him, flipping him off as I went to the passenger side, quickly jumping in and closing the door. "Step on it, Martinez!"

Fang chuckled and hit the gas, the truck lurching forward. It took us about twenty minutes to get to school and as Fang parked and turned his truck off, we rushed to class. Right when we crashed through the door to home room, the bell rang and Ms. Williams glared at us as we sat down. "That was awfully close to the bell, Ms. Ride and Mr. Martinez. I'll let it slide this time but if you do it again, detention."

She turned away and Fang and I looked at each other, snorting. Even if you were still in the class right before the bell rang, she would still give you detention. I don't know if it was because she was something that rhymes with a witch or if it was just because if was close to retirement but she seemed meaner than she was last year and even then, she was still pretty mean, though I probably didn't help the cause.

As she began to take roll, I rested in my chin in my hand and stared off into space, Ms. Williams voice droning on and on in my ears. My gaze drifted over to Fang who was doodling in his notebook and reached over, writing on his paper. _I'm booooored... _**(Italized writing is Max, underlined is Fang)**

Fang raised an eyebrow at me and chuckled quietly. _That's why I'm drawing_

_You got any paper?_

_No, and even if I did, I wouldn't give any to you_

I glared at him. _Just give me some damn paper!_

_N.O. means no, Ride, so no_

_Give some to me or I'll burn your body and feed it to the wolves!_

_Nope, nope, nope. Hey look, a birdy! :D_

"Just give me paper!" I hissed at him, elbowing his side. Fang grunted but shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Excuse me, Ms. Ride, Mr. Martinez, is there something you would like to share with the class?" Damn, the old hag caught us.

"No, Ma'am." Fang said sweetly and I stared at him in horror. Where in the Hell was he getting this good boy side of him?! It was just damn creepy! "I'm sorry, Ms. Williams, we were just discussing how wonderful you are as a teacher."

Ms. Williams blushed and cleared her throat, fixing her glasses. Yes, _blushed_. "Erm...well carry on I suppose. Now, as I was saying, World War II started when..." As she continued to talk, I turned wide eyes on him. "What the Hell was that?!"

One of his signature smirks appeared on his face and I leaned back, officially fearing my life. This side of him was absolutely terrifying, especially when I knew that he was never this... sickening sweet. Remind me never to mess with him...but wait...I already did. "That, my dear student, was called 'Sweet-Talk-the-Teacher'. I suggest you try it some time."

I blinked then shook my head. Why did I have to deal with _him_ for the rest of the school year and the ones to come? Sometimes I wish that Fang was a normal guy and, in some cases, he is, but like I said, this was _Fang_. Everything about him was nowhere near normal. He was quieter than most people yet he acted like a cocky ass when he wanted to. Maybe he really was bipolar. Honestly at this point, it wouldn't surprise me. **(A/N: No offense to those who actually are diagnosed with it!) **

For the rest of the period, the two of us just kind of sat there drawing on each other's notebooks until the bell rang and we had to go to the next class. Iggy met us at the door (he'd been dozing off through the whole class) and we headed out to go to the next class, walking down the hall until Iggy had to leave. Of course, a certain someone with red hair suddenly appeared by Fang's arm and slipped hers through his, literally clinging onto him. "Hey Nicholas." She giggled and I swear my stomach twisted into knots as she spoke.

Fang looked down at her with one eyebrow raised and I could see the disgusted look in his eyes...well, that is until Lissa looked up at him with wide blue eyes and his expression changed, softening. No...Oh geeze, please tell me he's not... "Hi Lissa." He said, smiling softly. Yup, he was. This was bad. Like, really, _really _bad.

Lissa was known for going through five guys in a week, no joke, using them to gain more popularity and then dumping them the next day. As far as I know, she's dated every single guy except for Iggy and Gazzy of course. Yes, she even went for the freshmen, kids _three years younger than her._ It was sad, really. Now, she was going after my best friend (even though I've known him for about 24 hours) and she was going to ruin him. I didn't want that to happen, didn't want him to have to go through that. I've been through something similar and I don't want him to have to go through the same.

"I'm having some trouble catching up with History and I know you're really smart. Can you help me in the library afterschool?" Lissa's high-pitched voice cut through my thoughts and I immediately butted into the conversation. "Lissa, listen. He's new here, so I don't think he knows what's going on in the class right now-

I trailed off as Fang shot me a fierce glare to shut me up. "Of course, Lissa." The Red-Haired Wonder's eyes lit up and she waved goodbye, skipping off to her friends who giggled and gave her a high-five.

Iggy and I exchanged looks before we both turned on our friend. "What the Hell?!" Iggy exploded, staring at Fang in shock.

"What the Hell is right! Why would you agree to helping _Lissa _of all people?!" I added, folding my arms over my chest.

"Because she's a sweet girl!" He defended, his dark eyes narrowed at us. "I help whoever needs it, that's what I do! If you don't like it, then tell someone else, but I don't give a damn what you two think! I'm doing it and that's that!" He turned on his heel and stalked off, leaving Iggy and I standing there, confused and worried.

"If he ends up dating her, she's going to crush him." Iggy said quietly, turning his gaze on me.

"I know..." I whispered. "I'd hate to see him go through that. I'm just trying to do what's best for him, make him aware of Lissa's intentions."

"You know he won't listen; that's just how he is."

"Stupid idiot, not listening..." I sigh and tug on his sleeve. "Come on, Iggy. You should probably go." My friend nodded, waving goodbye before he walked away.

I watched him go as everyone in the halls bustled around me then turned and walked to English, my mind whirling. Why one Earth would Fang hang out with someone like Lissa? I mean, they were the complete opposite; he was quiet, sarcastic, arrogant, but a good friend and Lissa...well, you already know. Then again, you know what they say: Opposites attract.

I took my seat once I was in the classroom and Fang glanced over at me before looking away. No way, he was giving me the cold shoulder. That kid had some balls to treat me that way. I scoffed and glared at him just as Mr. Thayer cleared his throat, leaning against his desk. "Alright, I want everyone to listen up. Today I want you to get together with a partner and together you'll write a personal narrative about the person sitting next to you. The essay must be at least five paragraphs and it's due this Friday. Work efficiently and effectively and _please _keep your noise level down." He sat down at his desk and everyone set to work.

I nudged Fang's shoulder and raised an eyebrow when he didn't respond. "Hey Tooth, you need to work 'with the person sitting next to you'." All I got was a glare from him and that was it. "Okay, fine. I won't bother you anymore, but if you wanna get a decent grade on this stupid paper, then you have to talk to me." Nothing. G Goddammit. My anger rose and I poked his shoulder hard. "You know what? Screw you. Why don't you go and talk to that blonde chick over there so you don't have to work with me!" And you know what that asshole did? He got up and walked over to the lost puppy, smiling when she blushed and tucked some hair behind her ear.

I swear he lives to cause me pain and misery. I grimaced in disgust and stared down at the paper sitting in front of me. This was all its fault, you know? If we hadn't been assigned this stupid project, my 'partner' wouldn't have left me and I would at least have someone to work with. I raised my eyes as Dylan Andrews sat down next to me. "You need a partner?"

I blinked. Why would the most popular kid in the school wanna be partners with me? I mean, I was a bit of a nobody, but then again, I was also known as the school's bad-ass. Still, why would he even talk to me? Oh Jeez, I'm turning into one of _them_. Sigh. "Uh...sure?"

Dylan smiled, chuckling softly and heat rose to my cheeks. Holy lskjdf! Have to hide, have to hide, have to hide, ah! Pretend to be angry! "What the Hell? Is there something you wanna share with me?"

Dylan shook his head. "Nah, just wondering why you turned it into a question. Anyways, Maximum Ride, right?"

I nod, curiosity getting the better of me. How did he know my name? "Uh yeah, I guess." He held out his hand and I took it, shaking it. "I'm pretty sure you know me already..." I nod again. Who wouldn't know him? I mean, come on, the girls practically drooled all over his arm.

Dylan picked up the piece of paper and scanned the questions before looking up at me. "I'm assuming we answer these questions. So, what is your favorite color?" I rolled my eyes at how cheesy the question was and yawned, already sleepy. "Blue and black."

He wrote it down on the paper and looked back up at me. "Mine is green just so you know." I wrote it down also, and the questions kept on coming. I learned a lot about him during that class, and maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as bad as I thought he was. I caught Fang glaring at us from across the room though, constantly looking over at us while he smiled and laughed at Little Miss Blondie who blushed and tucked her hair behind her ears and bit her lip. Seriously?

As the bell rang, Dylan slipped a piece of paper into my pocket, waving goodbye and walking outside. The note read: _I had a really awesome time getting to know you, Max. Hope to talk to you soon ;) -Dylan _followed by his number. I smiled and stuffed it back into my pocket. I'd put his number into my phone later. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I made my way to the lunch area, not bothering to wait for Fang to follow. Come on, he was acting like a complete jerk, so he deserves it. I just hoped things wouldn't get any worse but I spoke too soon.

I sat down with Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, and Ella just as Fang walked by, not even sparing us a single glance and just completely ignoring us as he made his way to Little Miss Blondie. The five of us watched the two talking in shock and exchanged looks.

"Is he seriously talking to Brigid?" Gazzy said, his blue eyes wide.

"Who's Brigid?" I asked, confused.

"The girl talking to Fang. She's new here, well, not technically since she moved here like two months before Junior year ended. Lissa and her cronies have had an eye on her for a while. Oh, I wish I was as pretty as she is. I mean, come on, her hair is so shiny and blonde and her skin is completely flawless! I've tried so many products to make my skin look like that and none of them-

"Nudge, shut up!" Iggy exclaimed, covering her mouth with his hand. "Seriously, we need to get you a shock collar or something so when you don't shut up, we can shock you." He went into a mock rant before going into a series of twitches and spasms, sending Gazzy into a fit of giggles and me chuckling at his little act. Only Nudge glared at him and licked his hand.

"Ah! The poison! It's got me!" He cried, clutching his hand and moaning in pain. I laughed at the spazz, shaking my head. Ah Iggy, he never fails to amuse me.

We all stopped as Fang came over with Brigid, sitting down across from us. "Guys, I want you to meet Brigid Dwyer. Brigid, this is Max, Iggy, Nudge, Ella, and Gazzy." She waved shyly as we waved back and everything went quiet. I shifted uncomfortably, taking a sudden interest in the stain on my tray. I wonder if it would ever come off...

"Fang cleared his throat. "Have you guys seen the show the Big Bang Theory?" Yup, it worked. Iggy and Gazzy immediately went into a whole debate on whether Sheldon or Leonard was the best and Brigid decided to but in. "I honestly think Sheldon is the best. I mean, come on, the guy's a complete genius." Iggy's face brightened while Gazzy sulked. "You know what? I like this girl."

Fang smirked and leaned back in his seat, folding his arms over his chest. Smug slkdjgs! "I knew you would."

Nudge, Ella, and I ended up having our own little conversation on whether Andy Biersack or Harry Styles was the most attractive until the bell rang. I wasn't so sure about Brigid, though. Yeah, she seemed like a sweet girl, but something seemed...I don't know, off. Maybe you could call it me just being me, but still, I needed to know. I didn't want Fang to get hurt in the end, but I knew that was going to be a hard thing to do, considering how stubborn he was.


	5. Dinner, again? With Fang! Seriously?

**Author's Note: And Voila! Here is the fifth chapter of this odd story mwahahaha!**

**Disclaimer: Why would you think I own Maximum Ride? I mean, I'm not JP!**

Ella and I got home around five, due to the fact that she decided to stop and chat with her friends before she _finally _followed me home. I swear, if I let her, she would talk the whole night away and we wouldn't get home until the next morning, no joke. Mom was in the kitchen starting dinner and poked her head around the corner as we walked inside. "What took you so long, girls? I was beginning to get worried..."

I groaned and rolled my eyes as Ella texted someone on her phone. "Ask her." I mumbled, jamming my thumb at her and dropping my backpack onto the back of the couch. "Anyways, how much longer until dinner?"

"About an hour or so. You have any homework?" Mom wiped her hands on her jeans and brushed some hair out of her eyes. I shook my head and she smiled. "Why don't you head over to the Martinez' house and I'll have Ella come over and get you." I never thought I would hear her say that, especially since my best friend was a guy, but then again, there was Iggy so she was okay with it.

"Really? Well, bye I guess." I said, waving before running out the door and across the street. I rang the doorbell and waited a few minutes, taking an interest in their doormat. _Home Sweet Home_. Well, I guess that's true...there was a soft thud before the door opened and Fang opened the door, looking upset until he saw me and his expression changed into it's normal, bored look. Maybe it was my imagination, but the slight tightening in his jaw told me otherwise. "Hey Ride, what's up?"

I rolled my eyes. Ever since the first day, he'd been calling me by my last name, knowing that it pissed me off, and more than once, I was tempted to slap him across the face. "The sky. Anyways, you wanna go somewhere? My mom said dinner won't be ready for another hour so I could come over and hang out with you."

Fang glanced over his shoulder before looking back at me. "Let me ask Mom real quick." He left the door open as he disappeared into the house and I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do with myself. A head full of blonde curls peeped around the corner and once they saw me, came sprinting into me, knocking me over. "MAX!" Angel squealed and I laughed, holding her tightly. "Hey Angel, how are you?"

Angel giggled and threw her skinny arms around my neck. I swear, this little girl would be the death of me. "Good! Big Brother and I were playing My Little Pet Shop on the Wii."

I laughed, finding it funny that Fang, of all people, would be playing something as cute and adorable as My Little Pet Shop. "Was he _actually_ playing it?" She nodded, smiling. "Yeah! He said he was having a lot of fun!" I snorted, figuring that I'd have to ask him about it when he came back.

Just then, Fang came back from what I assumed was the kitchen, and nodded at me, brushing past Angel and giving her head an affectionate pat. "Come on." I stepped back outside and jogged down the three steps leading up to his house, hearing him close the door behind him. "So what are we doing again?"

I shrugged, rolling my eyes. "I told you, I just wanted to hang out with you until Mom finished with dinner. Why don't we go to the park or something? It's right down the street..." He doesn't respond which made it difficult to figure out if he wanted to or not but when I glanced over at him, he didn't seem unwilling, more like thoughtful. I sigh, turning my attention to the street in front of me. Sometimes I wished that he would tell me what he wanted or didn't want or better yet, express himself some more. I mean, it was nice not having someone to talk my ears off (cough, cough, Nudge, cough, cough) but I still wanted him to talk a little more. He was getting somewhat better at it since he moved here, though, so I guess that was an improvement on his part.

I kicked at a rock, sending it skittering down the sidewalk and Fang turned his attention to it, watching as we edged closer to it. Finally, something tugged at the corners of his mouth and he kicked it over to me. That's how the game started while we walked, the two of us kicking the rock back and forth before we finally reached the park. I settled myself on a swing and kicked off, taking an interest in the sky which was painted with orange, pink, and a dark blue. A few stars were beginning to peek through the darkening sky, already twinkling and shining brightly.

"So what's your favorite color?" I ask Fang and he glances over at me, confused for a moment before he realized what I was talking about. He raised an eyebrow at me as if it were obvious then I mentally smacked myself for being so stupid. "Black, obviously. What about you, Ride?"

I shrugged. "Blue."

He nodded, his long dark hair falling into his eyes. I wondered if it ever bothered him having it so long like that. I mean, didn't it get in his way at times? "So what's your favorite thing to do?"

I thought about it for a moment, pursing my lips. I had no clue how to answer that question, especially since I liked to do a lot of things. "I suppose...swimming, if that counts?" Fang snorted at that and I glared at him, daring for him to say something in which he didn't. So that's how we learned more about each other.

We sat there for at least an hour, talking about anything from what our favorite things were to how ninjas were better than zombies and things like that. I realized then how easy it was to talk to him without being so self conscious of myself. Iggy and I were the same way but Fang and I...we clicked. It was like a wall between us had broken and it felt as if I had known him all my life, that's how well we got along (save for the occasional insult and heated comment), but that was a different story.

My phone buzzed, making me jump and I quickly fished it out of my pocket, quickly scanning the message. It was Mom:

_Dinner's ready, sweetie :) If it's okay with Fang, I already talked to his parents and they said he can have dinner with us_

A grin spread across my face and I tapped Fang's arm, snagging his sleeve in my hand and dragging him off of the swing. "Come on, you're having dinner with us. Mom already talked to your Mom and Dad and they said it was fine." I added at his uncertain look. He nodded and together we walked back.

I ended up tackling him halfway through so by the time we got through the door, I was on his back, my fingers entangled in his hair, acting as if he were my steed. "Onwards to the kitchen, oh trusty steed!" See? My mom gave us a horrified look mixed with amusement and slowly set the plates down. "You kids have finally gone mad. What in the world am I going to do with you, Max?"

I grinned cheekily but yelped as Fang poked my side. His eyes lit up and I knew then that I was in trouble; he found my weakness. I gulped and slid down his back, chuckling at his now messy hair, and sat at the table, yawning. "Ella! Get yo butt downstairs!"

Ella shouted something back, but I couldn't understand what she said since she was _in her room upstairs. _That girl needed some common sense. Did she not know that we couldn't understand her? After a moment, she came down the stairs, fixing her makeup, and stopped when she saw us. She glanced at Fang and I sitting next to her and tried not to smile before she sat down next to mom.

We ate in silence, Mom making the occasional talk with us but Fang answered with a simple nod or one word. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk, especially since he was around people he didn't really know, so I poked him in the side. His eyes darted to me before answering my Mom's question, poking me back. I smirked and I saw a small smile tug at the corners of his lips before it faded.

By the time dinner was over, we had gone into a full out poke war. He lunged, jabbing me in the side and I jumped, laughing. It wasn't fair, he was a lot quicker than I was! I darted forward and jumped on his back before poking his sides and he stumbled around, trying in vain to get away from me but I kept a tight hold on him.

He tripped as we entered the living room and fell on the couch, out of breath. He turned on me before I could get up and tickled my sides. I couldn't breath; I was laughing so hard. I hated when people tickled me. That was the one thing that I couldn't stand or get away from and it annoyed the Hell out of me.

Eventually, he stopped and I just kind of laid there, trying to catch my breath while Fang folded his arms over his chest, smirking. It wasn't fair at all! Then, an idea came to my mind and my expression darkened. Oh he was so going to get payback for attacking me. "So I heard from Angel that you were playing My Little Pet Shop earlier."

His face took on a horrified look and he stared at me. "I played it to keep her happy."

I raised an eyebrow. Was he really going to play Mr. Innocent? "Yet she told me that you said you were having fun."

He groaned and rubbed his forehead, closing his eyes. "I had to make her happy, okay? She would've been upset if I told her that I didn't like the game."

I rolled my eyes, standing up and stretching. "Whatever, Fangy-poo. You should probably head on home before your parents freak out." He shrugged and did the same, looking over at me. "Well...night, Max." He seemed to hesitate for a second before draping an arm around my shoulders and giving me somewhat of a hug.

I blinked in surprise as he pulled me into his hard, lean side before he let go and was gone, exiting the house. What the Hell was that?


End file.
